A Simple Story of True Love and True Care

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elyn Ilaw ng Konek

Gender : Date Joined : 2009-02-17Reputation : 32

20091210

A Simple Story of True Love and True Care

A Simple Story of True Love and True Care

I was born in a secluded village on a mountain.Day by day, my parents plowed the yellow dry soilwith their backs towards the sky.I have a brother who is 3 years younger than me.I wanted to buy a handkerchief, which all girlsaround me seemed to have. So, one day I stole 50 centsfrom my father's drawer. Father had discovered about thestolen money right away.

He made me and my younger brother kneel againstthe wall as he held a bamboo stick in his hand."Who stole the money?" he asked.I was stunned, too afraid to talk. Neither of usadmitted to the fault, so he said, "Fine, if nobodywants to admit, you two should be beaten!"He lifted up the bamboo stick.

Suddenly, my younger brother gripped father'shand and said," Dad, I was the one who did it!"The long stick smacked my brother's backrepeatedly. Father was so angry that he kept on whipping mybrother until he lost his breath. After that, he sat down on our stone bedandscolded my brother, "You have learned to steal from your ownhouse now. What other embarrassing things willyou be possibly doing in the future? You should be beaten todeath, you shameless thief!"That night, my mother and I hugged my brother. Hisbody was full of wounds from the beating but he nevershed a single tear.

In the middle of the night, all of sudden, I cried outloudly. My brother covered my mouth with his littlehand and said, " Sis, now don't cry anymore.Everything has happened."I still hate myself for not having enough courage toadmit what I did.

Years gone by, but the incident still seemed like itjust happened yesterday. I will never forget my brother's ______expressionwhen he protected me.

That year, my brother was 8 years old and I was 11years old. When my brother was in his last year of secondaryschool, he was accepted in an upper secondary school in the central.

At the same time, I was accepted into a university in the province.That night, father squatted in the yard, smoking,packet by packet.

I could hear him ask my mother, "Both of ourchildren, they have good results? very good results?"Mother wiped off her tears and sighed," What is theuse? How can we possibly finance both of them?"At that time, my brother walked out, he stood infront of father and said, “Dad, I don't want to continue mystudy anymore, I have read enough books."

Father swung his hand and slapped my brother onhis face. "Why do you have a spirit so damn weak? Even if itmeans I have to beg for money on the streets, I willsend you two to school until you have both finishedyour study!" And then, he started to knock on every house in thevillage to borrow money.

I stuck out my hand as gently as I can to mybrother's swollen face, and told him, "A boy has to continuehis study; If not, he will not be able to overcome thispoverty we are experiencing. "

I, on the other hand, had decided not to further mystudy at the university. Nobody knew that on the next day, before dawn,my brother left the house with a few pieces of worn-outclothes and a few dry beans. He sneaked to myside of the bed and left a note on my pillow; "Sis, gettinginto a university is not easy. I will go find a joband I will send money to you."I held the note while sitting on my bed, and crieduntil I lost my voice.

That year, my brother was 17 years old; I was 20years old. With the money father borrowed from the wholevillage, and the money my brother earned from carryingcement on his back at a construction site, finally, I managedto get to the third year of my study in the university.

One day, while I was studying in my room, myroommate came in and told me, “There’s a villager waiting foryou outside!" Why would there be a villager looking for me? Iwalked out, and I saw my brother from afar. His whole bodywas covered with dirt, dust, cement and sand. I askedhim, "Why did you not tell my roommate that youare my brother?" He replied with a smile," Look at my appearance.What will they think if they would know that I am yourbrother? Won't they laugh at you?"I felt so touched, and tears filled my eyes. I sweptaway dirt and dust from my brother's body. And toldhim with a lump in my throat, " I don't care whatpeople would say! You are my brother no matterwhat your appearance is?"

From his pocket, he took out a butterfly hair clip.He put it on my hair and said, "I saw all the girls intown are wearing it. So, I think you should also haveone." I could not hold back myself anymore. I pulled mybrother into my arms and cried.

That year, my brother was 20 years old; I was 23years old. I noticed that the broken window was repaired thefirst time I brought my boyfriend home. The housewas scrubbed cleaned. After my boyfriend left, I danced like a little girlin front of my mother, "Mom, you didn't have to

spend so much time cleaning the house!" But she told mewith a smile," It was your brother who went home earlyto clean the house. Didn't you see the wound on hishand? He hurt his hand while he was replacing thewindow." I went into my brother's bedroom. Looking at histhin face, I felt like there are hundreds of needle prickedin my heart.

I applied some ointment on his wound and put abandage on it, "Does it hurt? " I asked him."No, it doesn't hurt. You know, when at theconstruction site, stones keep falling on my feet .Even that could not stop me from working."In the middle of the sentence, he stopped. I turnedmy back on him and tears rolled down my face.

That year, my brother was 23 years old; I was 26years old. After I got married, I lived in the city. Many timesmy husband invited my parents to come and livewith us, but they didn't want. They said, once they left the village,

they wouldn't know what to do.My brother agreed with them. He said, "Sis, youjust take care of your parents-in-law. I will take care ofmom and dad here."

My husband became the director of his factory. Weasked my brother to accept the offer of being themanager in the maintenance department. But mybrother rejected the offer. He insisted on working as arepairman instead for a start.One day, my brother was on the top of a ladderrepairing a cable, when he got electrocuted, andwas sent to the hospital.My husband and I visited him at the hospital.Looking at the white gypsum on his leg, I grumbled, "Whydid you reject the offer of being a manager? Managerswon't do something dangerous like that. Now lookat you, You are suffering a serious injury. Why didn'tyou just listen to us?"

With a serious ______expression on his face, hedefended his decision, "Think of brother-in-law. He justbecame the director, and I being uneducated, andwould become a manager, what kind of rumors would flyaround?" My husband's eyes filled up with tears, and then Isaid, "But you lack in education only because ofme!" "Why do you talk about the past?" he said andthen he held my hand.

That year, he was 26 years old and I was 29 yearsold. My brother was 30 years old when he married afarmer girl from the village. During the wedding reception,

the master of ceremonies asked him, "Who is the one person

you respect and love the most?" Without even taking a time to think,

he answered," My sister." He continued by telling a story I could noteven remember.

"When I was in primary school, the school was in adifferent village. Everyday, my sister and I wouldwalk for 2 hours to school and back home. Oneday, I lost the other pair of my gloves. My sister gave meone of hers. She wore only one glove and she had to walk far.When we got home, her hands were trembling because ofthe cold weather that she could not even hold herchopsticks.

From that day on, I swore that as long as I live, I would take care of

my sister and will always be good to her."Applause filled up the room. All guests turned theirattention to me. I found it hard to speak, "In my whole life, the one Iwould like to thank most is my brother," And in thishappy occasion, in front of the crowd, tears wererolling down my face again.

Love and care for the one you love every single daysof your life. You may think what you did is just asmall deed, but to that someone, it may mean a lot.